Media Education and online learning: A case study of an education blog with a difference

Change is the only constant – Heraclitus

Blog:

A blog refers to an informational website published on the internet, comprising diverse topics authored and managed by individuals or organisations. The posts consist of User-Generated Content which is available in a reverse chronological manner and are regularly updated. There are different types of blogs available on the World Wide Web like food blogs, travel blogs, lifestyle blogs, personal blogs, and educational blogs.

Educational Blog:

The Internet has given us a variety of platforms to put forth our knowledge, and blogs have become the most popular among them. The convergence of ICT with the traditional educational system has led to a new wave of methodology that does not restrict itself to pages. Edu blogs are sites where educational content is posted. Themes may range across diverse subjects like science, literature, politics, or journalism. Such websites are authored or owned by a subject expert, teacher, or researcher. They have penetrated the classrooms and reformed preconceived notions of education. In journalism, Dr. Vartika Nanda’s blog is considered an essential source of information on media education, prisons, and their interface. 

Case Study: The education blog of Vartika Nanda

The Blog www.vartikananda.blogspot.com was started by Dr. Vartika Nanda in 2006. She was the Executive Producer of Lok Sabha TV at that time. The blog focused on issues and debates of journalism in the initial years. After joining the Department of Journalism at Lady Shri Ram College for Women, the blog shifted its primary focus to three things - journalism, academic documentation of the events of the college, and prison reforms. As head of the department, Dr. Vartika Nanda converted this blog into a live classroom. 

The blog has 18 sections related to journalism, the Department of Journalism, Lady Shri Ram College, and syllabi-related readings of BA(Hons) in Journalism prescribed by Delhi University. The platform also includes notes on prison reforms, and stories and audio recordings based on Kissa Khaki Ka, an exclusive podcast series of Delhi Police.  One can easily navigate through these sections and get to know about theories, debates, news & stories related to journalism, and media.  Taglines such as Journalism, Jails, Jail Radio, and Tinka Model of Prison Reforms encapsulate the blog's vision.

Objective and functions of the blog:

The blog aims to educate, inform, and create a space for students, media enthusiasts, and media-literate individuals. The following are the objectives of the blog:

• Impart media education and make readers media literate
• Spread ideas about ethical journalism 
• Create an information bank related to media and journalism
• Build a space for readers to create, share and discuss concerns related to journalism, media, and social change.
• Space to share stories and podcasts of Kissa Khaki Ka and Tinka Tinka , to create awareness on prison reforms

Ingredients of the blog:

The blog is divided into three sections: media education, prison reforms, and Kissa Khaki Ka 

a. Media education: This section comprises crucial readings on different papers of journalism. The key focus here is the syllabus for BA(Hons) in Journalism prescribed by Delhi University under the LOCF system. It includes notes on a variety of media-related topics like; Introduction to Journalism, Advanced Broadcast Media, and Media Laws and Ethics. There is a section of suggested readings that students refer to for their examinations and class discussions. It includes a list of books like Mass Media in a Changing World by George Rodman, India’s Communication Revolution by Arvind Singhal and Everett M. Boggers, The Journalist’s Handbook by MV Kamath, etc., covering topics like media ethics, media management, photography, online journalism, and much more. The key attraction of this blog is its weekly reports, workshops, and newsletters that provide insights into the workings of the journalism department. Since 2021, the weekly activities of every batch have been documented on the blog. It also contains all the publications of the department under the newsletter banner. 

b. Tinka Prison Reforms: Tinka Tinka Foundation is dedicated to reforming the country’s prisons. Founded by Dr. Vartika Nanda, Tinka Tinka Foundation has been actively engaged in addressing issues related to prison reforms. The foundation is driven by the objectives of reconstruction of prison structures, constructive journalism, and blurring the social gap between the inmates and society through creativity. Under the initiative, the major prisons in India are covered, like those in Haryana, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh. It aims to connect prisons with society through creative processes. Foundation is working towards fulfilling the communication needs of inmates through Tinka Jail Radio. It has established jail radio in Panipat, Ambala, Faridabad, Hisar, Rohtak, etc. The inmates are trained as RJs and manage the whole setup. 

c. Kissa Khaki Ka: It is an audio series narrating the heroic tales of Delhi Police officials. It is scripted and narrated by Dr. Vartika Nanda on an honorary basis. The series was started on 16th January 2022. It features stories of the social and humanitarian services done by the Delhi Police while fulfilling their responsibilities. The blog has a section on Kissa Khaki Ka Press Coverage that features the one-year completion of the series celebrated through a grand ceremony at the Delhi Police Headquarters. The Delhi Police Commissioner Shri Sanjay Arora felicitated the whole team.  Each podcast is accessible on the blog along with the YouTube links.  

Characteristics of the blog: 

In a time when media literacy is crucial, this blog acts as a gateway to trusted and credible media knowledge. Its user-friendly structure, well-organized documentation, and categorization not only make education clear but creative as well. It generates curiosity for themes one might need to be better acquainted with. It also became the bridge between students and teachers during the pandemic. Students who participated in the blog activities believed that the exhaustion of the pandemic got replaced by a desire to learn more. The blog covered research notes, important links, and references from the syllabus, which helped the students understand the concepts better and reduced the gap between their homes and classrooms. Even after the pandemic, the updates have not stopped. Each day, one can see updated weekly info, an article by a budding writer, a new research note, etc.

Student engagement on the blog:

Since its inception, there have been more than 200 posts on the blog. It has an overall footfall of 46,000 and a daily footfall of 20. It has been a platform for LSR students since 2009, and they have played a crucial role in contributing to the updating and enhancing of this blog. Each day, approximately 3–4 students publish their articles, reports, and newsletters on the blog. There are several student-written articles published, like Simran Rawat’s article on Post-Pandemic Education: Blog as an Interactive Medium, Soumya Rawat’s Tracing Down the Truth , and Stuti Garg’s Legacy of Pawprints: An Ode to the Dogs of LSR. The page has more than 50 student comments, and they incorporate the readings and content available on the blog into their curriculum as well.

Impact of the blog:

In this age of ICT, it is easy to start a blog, and there isn’t a shortage of educational blogs around the world or even in our country. But what bloggers tend to forget is that creating a blog is easy, but building its legacy and using it for the right purposes is the most difficult task. However, Dr. Vartika Nanda’s blog has not only evolved into an educational source but has also become a digital archive of the college and a medium to participate in social change.

a. Media Education: Media and journalism students, media enthusiasts, and researchers have used the platform for their dissertations, research papers, articles, and journals. It is used by the college to keep track of events that happened a decade ago. Its archive section is a great source of preserved history for Lady Shri Ram College. Moreover, even teachers refer and engage as they become aware of the latest trends in the education sector, new updates in the curriculum, department events, and gather material for teaching purposes. For instance, a post was published regarding the catalogue documentation of faculty publications of Lady Shri Ram College. 

b. Tinka Tinka Prison Reforms: The blog is also a driver for social change, the thorough sections of Tinka Tinka Prison Reforms have created widespread awareness about the conditions of prison institutions in the country. The Tinka Jail Radio has given a purpose to the inmates who feel their lives have come to a halt. The training session has helped them to gain skills they can use in the future and start a fresh page. It has also provided a platform for the inmates to share their stories with society, which, unfortunately, mainstream media fails to do. All the stories on jail radio are available at Tinka Tinka Prison Reforms on YouTube.

c. Kissa Khaki Ka: The podcast series has given a human touch to the Delhi police, allowing citizens to relate to their stories and bridge the gap of hesitance between society and the police force. The narration has helped in throwing light on their sacrifices, acts of bravery, and contributions to society. Apart from the narration, it helps in documenting the achievements of the police force allowing the audience to hear them. All the episodes are organized chronologically. It encourages and inspires the listeners to have an active approach to social responsibilities and cooperation with the security institutions of the country.  

This blog is much more than an ordinary educational blog. It is a detailed and systemically arranged digital archive. This edu-blog is a reminder that educational blogs are one of the many keys to revolutionising the traditional education system. This blog is the manifestation of many goals rather than a single one. Apart from posting educational content, it is also responsible for being the flag bearer of ethical journalism. Thus, it is more than just a journalism blog; it is a journalism community comprising aspiring journalists and media enthusiasts.

About the founder and author:

As a media educator, prison reformer, and Stree Shakti Puruskar recipient for her contribution towards women's empowerment via media and literature, Dr. Vartika Nanda has established a platform where the practice of collaborative learning is always a priority. Her contribution to prison reform is mentioned twice in the Limca Book of Records. She has authored 14 books and has been instrumental in setting up prison radio in the District Jail of Agra and across different jails in Haryana. Also, her efforts have been recognised for building a positive atmosphere across the jails of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

By 

Ananya Nair (Batch: 2024) 

Department of Journalism

Lady Shri Ram College

How the blog has helped students

Teaching is the greatest act of optimism.

― Colleen Wilcox

The greatest goal of teaching is to assist students to make their own discoveries. Dr. Vartika Nanda’s blog has proven to be no less than a reservoir of valuable information for the students of Department of Journalism, Lady Shri Ram College for Women.

The blog has shaped and enhanced the department’s proficiency in multiple ways. As the mode of learning has shifted to online spaces, the blog has become the central portal through which students have continued to progress in their academics.

From containing notes of all important topics and necessary study material links, it has been extremely helpful to provide complete knowledge and thorough information about all the topics in and beyond the academic syllabus.  Students can easily find what they need help with in the form of numerous compiled links, articles and notes. Instead of searching for material to study, everything is available at one single place which becomes extremely efficient while studying.

The blog also welcomes ‘Student Contribution’ - students can actively share research, scholarly articles and study material about the topic they are studying in their class, either individually or in a group. This has helped to encourage team spirit, presentation skills and increase communication between students.

The blog features insightful reports on the activities taking place in the department, including all events and speaker sessions during Juxtapose – the annual academic inter-collegiate meet of the Journalism department, LSR. There are also useful reports about the practical work that takes place within the classes such as newsletter, magazine and newspaper-making group activities. The various reports and newsletters available on the blog motivate and create enthusiasm within students to participate more in such activities. These have helped students to always be aware of the major happenings in the department, in case they’re unable to be part of them in real time.

This process of teaching vis-à-vis learning has not only enriched the way students research, document and present, but it has also created a safe environment for effective and healthy interaction which is truly a blessing for the students especially in this online setup.

2022: August: Media Education, Blog and the Students

 Making Education Accessible – One Step at a Time

“The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.” 

– Clive Staples Lewis

The modern education system has seen a plethora of changes in the past decade – from a gradual shift towards ICTs to a full blown transition from the physical to online mode. However, increasing the penetration and accessibility of new educational initiatives has been a challenging task due to various factors like differences in background, availability of resources et al. In efforts to make digital learning accessible, digital divide has often posed a problem to educators and students alike. It is not only a challenge to be tackled by educators, but also a learning setback to the students who have to depend on technology to make their educational needs met. 

To make education and literacy accessible to all, educators have delved into the sphere of digital literacy that facilitates quality learning without excessive dependence on physical surroundings. Dr Vartika Nanda, a seasoned media professional, has undertaken a similar approach of teaching, wherein she not only makes education accessible to her own students – but also anyone interested in learning, irrespective of their age, background or qualification. 

Dr Vartika Nanda is the head of the Journalism department at Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR). LSR is a prestigious college under the University of Delhi and ranks among one of the best colleges in the country. Dr Nanda has been a part of the institution for over 10 years and has been an integral part of the growth and development of the department. Along with being a media educator, Dr Nanda is an established prison reformer and the founder of ‘Tinka Tinka’  – a movement on jails to help in the reformation of inmates and improve prison life. To add to her list of achievements spanning over decades, she is the recipient of the Stree Shakti Puruskar  for her contribution to women empowerment through media and literature. This is the highest civilian award for women empowerment in India. Her name has also been included in the Limca Book of Records twice for her unique work on prison reforms.

Media Literacy

Dr Vartika Nanda, through her blog, has expanded the scope of media literacy. Her blog has a dedicated column for notes and reference material that cater to the needs of students pursuing a degree in journalism and mass communication. The blog has enabled greater accessibility of reference material for students, learners as well as educators. The availability of academic resources has led to the greater good of the community through convenient distance learning. Students, in particular, have greatly benefited from the initiative by extracting knowledge from this rich resource bank.

The blog by Dr Nanda is a unique collection of notes and readings that are of great help to the students. It covers all the major media related papers from the course and has separate sections dealing with different papers. The introductory papers, namely – Introduction to Journalism (IOJ) and Reporting and Editing for Print (REP)  – have detailed information about the basics of journalism. These notes are especially beneficial for students who have recently started their journey into the field of journalism. The topics covered under this particular section acquaint readers with the preliminary information that one must possess to understand journalism, and then gradually delve deeper into the core concepts and principles of journalism. For instance, the section provides a crisp and clear note highlighting the difference between an ‘article’ and a ‘feature’  – a differentiation that is of critical value for a journalist practicing in print. Other topics include – basics of social media marketing, neutrality and bias in media, inverted pyramid et al. Such notes help students in understanding the basics of journalism in a detailed manner.

Other papers, like – Introduction to Broadcast Media (IBM) and Advanced Broadcast Media (ABM)  – have also been extensively covered. With broadcast media being an expertise of Dr Nanda, the blog covers several important aspects of the same in a detailed manner. Keeping in mind the role and contribution of radio in broadcast media , special attention has been given in covering All India Radio (AIR). The blog covers the trajectory of AIR and its functioning. It also talks about another important aspect of radio – community radio. The concept of community radio has been further explained in reference to the role of community radios during the fight against COVID-19. 

Laws and Ethics

Being a veteran journalist, Dr Nanda realises that it would be futile to study journalism without understanding the laws and ethics that govern this profession. To help people understand this, the blog has a separate section dealing with media laws and ethics . The section has an in depth analysis of topics like freedom of expression and laws regarding television broadcasting in India. Such pieces serve as an excellent framework for understanding the laws and ethics an individual should abide by while practicing journalism.

The collection of articles and references related to journalism have also enormously helped students learn and retain new information in an efficient  comprehensive manner. These notes have also been of exceptional help during semester examinations when students are always in a rush to gather reading material. Consolidation of notes at one place and digital accessibility to them has made learning easier for a large number of students who earlier had to solely rely on physical reading material which was often erratic to source. 

Beyond Academics

In addition to the academic reading material, the blog by Dr Nanda also contains weekly class reports  of her lectures as well as reports regarding workshops and events organised at Lady Shri Ram College for Women. These reports help in providing real time updates of the happenings in the premises of the college to the outside world. Furthermore, the blog also has a special place for the student body to share their work and experiences  with a larger audience. They are encouraged to share their research work, articles and presentations that can be put up on the blog and reach other students who could learn from them. The introduction of the blog has truly led to a positive learning experience for the students and it continues to work towards improving the accessibility of quality education to all. 

By Jhanvi Negi
Batch of 2023 

______________________________________________________________

2006: Blog for Students of Journalism:: Vartika Nanda : Media Education

3 July, 2022

Students from the Department of Journalism, LSR express their thoughts on Dr. Vartika Nanda’s blog. https://vartikananda.blogspot.com/ Started on 10th August, 2006, this blog has helped students immensely in terms of academics, leaning and sharing of knowledge pertaining to journalism. Syllabus, weekly reports, newsletters, college activities and much more is available in this blog for both students ad media practitioners to learn from. 

Students are encouraged to contribute to the blog on a regular basis to polish their writing skills and add to their knowledge. This blog offered a powerful platform to students, especially during Covid-19, to arrange their notes and enhance their understanding on varied topics. This blog is seen as a reservoir of media academics and is used widely by students of journalism from different academic institutions. 

This blog has also earned respect for documenting the best practices of the Department of Journalism, Lady Shri Ram College. The blog also presents a glimpse into the continuous efforts of Tinka Tinka Foundation, founded by Dr. Vartika Nanda. This video is shot by Abhishri Agarwal and Gayathri Gadegos, and edited by Abhishri Agarwal.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fYjT3JQtk7s

The Blog: Why We Do What We Do

Journalism is a vast discipline wherein learning goes on for life. The discipline of journalism is all about providing accurate and timely information. The blog, www.vartikananda.blogspot.com was initiated by Dr. Vartika Nanda in 2006. This blog has progressed rapidly over the years and continues to deliver quality content and cater to its audience. Being a reservoir of information, the blog covers events, terminologies, and research in the context of Journalism and Mass Communication. 

A major part of the blog is dedicated to assist journalism students academically. A systematic collection of notes, class reports, event reports, information about the Media and Research cell, and the students’ contribution is available on the blog. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the blog proved to be a valuable asset to journalism students in terms of academic assistance. Those who were denied the privilege of stable internet connection, turned to the blog for hassle-free exam preparation.  All the notes and readings linked to the syllabus like Introduction to Journalism, Reporting and Editing in Print and Media Laws and Ethics, are available and updated. It also features the Media Research Cell section started in 2021, which aims at enabling students in media research and associated skills. Thus, this blog is a product of creativity, hard work and extensive research. 

Another chunk of the blog covers the exemplary work done by Tinka Tinka Prison Research Cell pertaining to Journalism and prison reform. The extensive field work done by Tinka Tinka, podcasts, Tinka Tinka Jail Radio, and Awards bestowed upon Tinka Tinka are covered on the blog as well. The blog serves as a medium of valuable information, but also a chest of memories for students who have graduated, and will for students to come in the future.

Disha Kumar

Batch of 2024

Department of Journalism

Lady Shri Ram College for Women

Dr. Vartika Nanda's Blog: A conducive Platform to drive student development

 "Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world."

                                                                                                        ~ Nelson Mandela

The contemporary era and lately the ongoing Covid19 pandemic has proven that "change" is the only constant in the world, and adapting to it has become a necessity. The education sector embodies this reality and has undergone a major transformation. Nowadays, when everything demands online presence and when the digital divide is increasing, ensuring equal opportunity and quality education has become a task to be tackled efficiently. Coming with the innovative and state of the art solution, Dr. Vartika Nanda, Head-of-Department(HOD), Department of Journalism, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, has curated a remarkable, conducive, and highly interactive digital platform for the students and by the students. 

Since its inception, Dr. Vartika Nanda's blog, (http://vartikananda.blogspot.com/) has been a platform which continuously disseminates important information related to student's curriculum. Her blog is a one stop solution for all journalism students pursuing under graduation, irrespective of their institution. It has a well-structured and separate section for study materials. Notes which are available on the blog are meticulously researched and compiled, making them highly efficient and beneficial for the students. It also has a vocabulary section which comprises of all the words used in the media sphere. 

Notes and research material are just a part of the blog not the blog. Through her blog, Dr. Vartika Nanda allows students not just to have a strong theoretical base but also provide them with a practical and professional exposure. The blog has provided students with a platform where they can showcase their writing skills via documenting various topics. Student’s ideate, write and edit articles and they have the chance to be as creative and descriptive as possible. Each and every topic has a space in the blog which allows the students to write about the topic they like. Students get a chance to write about the happenings in the college, their fond places in the college, memories they wish to cherish, the list is endless. Student's participation and engagement is always visible in the comment section which is highly appreciated by the professor. 

Dr. Vartika Nanda also keeps regularly updating about the Tinka Tinka reforms in the blog. They are a source of inspiration for the millions of students who aspire to do something for the Nation. 

The students are thankful to her for addressing their requirements through her blog.

Compiled and Edited by:

Deepshikha and Ashmi Jain
Batch of 2024
B.A. (Hons.) Journalism
Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi

Dr. Vartika Nanda's Blog: Carving a Novel Learning Space for Students

 “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.”

- Albert Einstein 

Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic, the online mode of education has become the ‘new normal'. However, on the brighter side, it has made students value the change, and also adapt to it. It rather became a necessity to find newer and creative ways of learning. In line with such necessity, Dr. Vartika Nanda, Teacher-in-Charge, Department of Journalism, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, designed a highly interactive and customized learning space for the students, enhancing their online tutoring experience. 

Through her blog, i.e. http://vartikananda.blogspot.com/, Ms. Nanda has carved a platform to impart extensive knowledge to and absorb the inventive input by the students. The platform showcases a treasured documentation on topics related to media and journalism.

The blog consists of several media-related pieces, compiled and edited by the students themselves - allowing them to get creative with their academic curriculum. Moreover, the extensive amount of student participation and engagement, encouraged especially through the comments section, adds a valuable pinch of interactivity and expression.

The blog also includes a practical segment covering the basics and technical know-how of report writing, video-making, and graphic designing, among other subjects, disseminating on-hands guidance to interested students. In addition to offering an insightful coverage on content curation, the blog promotes a sense of personalized creativity and freedom of innovation. A media glossary is also available on the blog to assist the students with the coursework.

In addition to the academic section related to media studies, the blog also highlights the other cultural and generic aspects pertaining to the Department of Journalism, Lady Shri Ram College for Women. From weekly reports of daily college lectures, to coverage of department-related bustle, including the activities of the Union, cultural events, workshops among others – the blog has transformed itself into a one-stop mode of documentation in these virtual times.

Several columns and poems, self-written by Dr. Nanda also help as a source of immense inspiration and positivity, adding a spark of encouragement and zeal.

To conclude, http://vartikananda.blogspot.com/ has turned out to be an inclusive platform, both for academic learning as well as for original creative expression. It has promoted teamwork and provided an enriching experience involving new ideas and resourceful collaboration among the students of journalism.

Written by:
Tanya Pratap
Batch of 2023
B.A. (Hons.) Journalism
Lady Shri Ram College for Women

Batch of 2024: Students share their lockdown routine in interactive classroom session

 

Tuesday, January 11, 2022 

The students of the Batch of 2024, B.A. (Hons.) Journalism attended their Introduction to Journalism class on Tuesday, November 11, 2022, taken by Dr. Vartika Nanda.

The class commenced on an insightful note where students discussed the articles they wrote on various writing exercises undertaken by them in the course of online education as well as their daily lifestyle during the COVID-19 lockdown. Several students shared their views on the pros and cons of online education while others presented an unfiltered glimpse of their day to day activities during the pandemic.

A powerpoint presentation explaining the different ways to organise news stories was also showcased by a group of students as a part of the interactive session. The presentation defined, simplified and elaborated media-related terminologies such as 'by line', 'credit line', 'leads', 'body of a news story', among others, with examples, providing an in-depth and integrated smart learning experience to all students.

The students are delighted to receive the best possible interactive learning even in the virtual mode and continue to be regular and participative to make full use of the opportunity.

Written by:

Riya Upadhyaya

Batch of 2024

B.A. (Hons.) Journalism

Lady Shri Ram College for Women

Monday, January 10, 2022 

Batch of 2024: Lecture on 'Inverted Pyramid' style and '5Ws and 1H'

The following report presents the gist of the Introduction to Journalism lecture on Monday, January 10, 2022, attended by the Batch of 2024, taken by Professor Dr. Vartika Nanda.

The class commenced with a presentation on some real-life news stories adhering to the ‘Inverted Pyramid’ style including the '5Ws and 1H' format in the lead paragraph. The examples helped students understand the basics of the inverted pyramid structure and explained how it can be best put to use.

This discussion was followed by a comprehensive presentation by a group of 5 students on the concept '5Ws and 1H' as it is adopted in the news media. The presentation was helpful in enabling a deeper understanding of factual news stories among the students.

Finally, the students were asked by Dr. Nanda to prepare a news report on the latest developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as online education based on the concepts discussed in the lecture. The topic ‘Organizing a News Story’ was decided for discussion in the next lecture. 

Written by:

Nandini Rikhee

Batch of 2024

B.A. (Hons.) Journalism

Lady Shri Ram College for Women

 

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The Utility of Blogging for Education: How Blogs can Act as Healing Aid in Post-Pandemic Education and Beyond

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

As education shifted online during the trying times of the pandemic, the challenge to bridge the learning gap between students, study materials, teachers and the new modes of learning became evident. In light of this concern, Dr. Vartika Nanda, Head, Department of Journalism, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, introduced the exemplary initiative of creating a conducive atmosphere of effective learning for students. Her vision, proclaiming a learning without barriers, progressed into helping students make the best from the online mode in the most innovative way possible.

 Over the past few years, Dr. Vartika Nanda’s blog (http://vartikananda.blogspot.com/) has emerged as a platform disseminating essential knowledge related to the curriculum to the students. Its use has ensured in-depth learning, making it the most accessible hub for students offering essential course-related reading material and meticulously compiled notes. These notes come embedded with useful external links and citations that help students get to the deepest root of the subject matter. Containing reliable information from the year 2006 to 2021, this blog is indeed an information archive which can be referred by the students at any time. The blog also contains a sub-section on books related to media enabling the student-body broaden its knowledge with diverse and exhaustive texts on key industrial practices. There are several publications written by Dr. Nanda herself which cover the subject of journalism comprehensively, a feature which has helped make the blog a go-to source for the students of the department for any course-related query.

By way of the blog, Dr. Nanda encourages students to come forward and take the initiative to contribute and enrich the overall learning base. Manifestly, several articles on this blog have been written, compiled and edited by the students on the topics related to media and journalism, among others. A variety of topics have been covered by the students so far, an activity which gives them a push to do something productive. The entire process is an immense learning experience for the students as often the whole class contributes to certain pieces which then receive encouragement as they get published on the blog. Apart from that, such recognition instils in students a sense of pride and adds weightage to their portfolio.

Dr. Nanda’s blog has transformed into a repository of content that can enhance students’ knowledge about topics both theoretical and practical in nature. Interactivity is the key factor optimising the blog. Students positively comment on blogposts, highlighting the scope of improvement and making essential value-additions. This, additionally, broadens the margin of discussion, opening the gates for new information and facilitating the exchange of ideas. Students have also shared their journey and experiences on the blog. This blog has given them the strength to be outspoken and expressive. Several exercises have been carried out to make students express their hearts and be more thoughtfully vocal. For example, ‘The Lockdown Diaries’, an initiative that prompted students to write about their experiences during the national lockdown, gave them a space to express themselves and share their new learnings. Students also exchanged their woes and sufferings, which in turn made them feel more connected to their peers in college.

 Over several months, Dr. Nanda’s blog has grown to witness the expression of creative talent of students across domains. The blog has provided a strong push to students to incorporate technical and practical learning in their reading of theoretical material. Few examples of this are the various posts containing essential information on newsletter-making, magazine-designing, and the many exhibits of posters and videos. Such content has helped students learn to stay loyal to the decided theme, come up with creative names for their publications, finalize the content, write unique headlines, structure writings in various formats, carry out designing, work in groups and generate the best-possible output in a way most efficient.

The blog also contains sections on media glossary, columns on journalism, along with significant content written by Dr. Nanda herself. This blog treasures particulars about Dr. Nanda’s remarkable efforts and hard work in prison reforms that led to the Tinka Tinka movement that she founded years ago. Some sections enormously help one to dig deeper into Tinka Tinka’s efforts in the prisons in Tihar, Dasna and Madhya Pradesh, three impressively unique landmarks in the arena of prison reforms in India that have been recognised across the country. There is a separate space called ‘Corona Diaries’ which documents the lives of prisoners during the pandemic providing the readers a sticking insight into their lives behind bars.

Dr. Vartika Nanda also writes several columns, pieces and poems that are an immense source of inspiration for youth and for all the visitors on the blog. The blog’s ‘Media Desk’ displays a thorough inside-view of the work carried out by her in the field of media, socially as well as in her different publications. Alongside, the detailed reports of several events, often curated by the students of the department, on the blog, enable connectivity and present rich insights into the recent developments at the college and departmental level.  

Overall, Dr. Vartika Nanda’s blog has evolved into an enriching platform where students can get useful resources, express themselves and showcase their talent in a very positive way. It has helped alleviate the knowledge gap amongst students by encouraging them to work collectively, and subsequently recording and preserving their efforts, getting more engaged with the subject. The initiative serves as an excellent experiment which can be taken forward by our educators to make learning more fruitful and interactive for students and teachers alike.

#LSR #VartikaNanda #OnlineLearning #StudentContribution #DepartmentOfJournalism #Journalism

 

Written by Priyanshi Bhardwaj

Edited by M. Muskan Devi

Batch of 2023

Department of Journalism

Lady Shri Ram College for Women, New Delhi

Post Pandemic Education: Blogs As An Interactive Medium

Presenting to you a detailed article on the philosophy behind this blog. Starting in 2006 as a platform of sharing of views on journalism, it made a gradual shift to become a virtual classroom. This practice has been specially handy during the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic. Simran Rawat presents to you a comprehensive report.  Editor.

By Simran Rawat

Dr. Vartika Nanda, Head of Department-Journalism at Lady Shri Ram College has come up with an innovative way to teach and talk to students during the digital learning era. She is using her blog http://vartikananda.blogspot.com/  to disseminate important information to her students as well as bridge the gap between virtual and classroom teaching. It has become a one stop shop for students to access all their reading material and clarify their doubts. In the absence of a central mechanism for this in Delhi University, Dr. Nanda’s blog is a pioneering step in the direction of collating online educational resources. Other than written pieces and books, there are also many useful video links embedded in the content alongside links to further reading material. The section about books related to media is a handy resource for students to get an overview of important texts. Containing blogs from 2006 to 2020, the site also acts as a useful archive of information that students can continue to refer to.

Students are the consumers and also producers of content at several places. A number of articles written by them on the topics related to journalism, are being incorporated on the blog on a regular basis. Once each article is published, the entire class contributes to improvise and improve it. In this manner, by the next day, an entirely new and supplemented document is ready. Having their work shared on the site, with by-lines gives students a feeling of pride and is a meaningful addition to their portfolio. The purpose of this enterprise is both education and documenting some of the crucial contributions made by the students. Each student’s level of involvement is based on their own enthusiasm and certain students have shown great gumption in making the most of this opportunity. Anushree Mukherjee, Himani Jindal and Riya Verma from the first year and Aastha Poddar and Shraddha Acharya from the final year have made special contribution in adding content to the blog. This blog is a classroom dedicated to the students of Journalism. For instance, Lockdown Diaries is a unique engagement exercise wherein students have written about their COVID quarantine experiences. It has given them a cathartic tool as well as a means of creative expression and a way to connect with their peers by means of shared experience. Students engage with the content through comments, wherein many have added more points and resources to the discussion.

Many students have also written personal articles about their journey in college, and enjoy the feeling of returning to the site to reminisce about days past. It helps document significant achievements and elaborates on the many discussions and events that have occurred on campus; serving as a useful compendium of the Journalism department’s endeavours for anyone to view at a glance. The site further highlights innovative pedagogy used by Dr. Nanda to immerse her students more fully in the practice of journalism. The techniques used are one of a kind and serve as an example for how journalism teaching must incorporate practical components to be effective. A few examples of this are efforts by the students to design a magazine and newspaper from scratch. Students are responsible for thinking of names for their publications, finding articles, finalizing layouts, placing appropriate articles under the correct headings and more. Through activities like these, students develop critical and creative thinking and experience journalism in a hands on manner and not just as a theoretical subject.

The site is a veritable treasure trove of information about Dr. Nanda’s significant efforts for prison reforms, through the Tinka Tinka movement she founded few years ago. The blog helps one retrieve many useful facts and glean knowledge about the same. This section include relevant documents on Tinka Tinka Tihar, Tinka Tinka Dasna and Tinka Tinka Madhya Pradesh- three unique milestones in the arena of prison reforms in India. Other sections include columns on journalism, Dr. Nanda’s poetry and a media glossary. Dr. Nanda’s Media Desk provides a quick and comprehensive view of her extensive work in media and her different publications. The newly introduced Corona diary about prisons is a unique initiative to document the life of prisoners during the pandemic.

Overall, this blog serves its purpose as an amalgamation of information and resources as well as a platform for students to express themselves and partake in discourse. It is an opportunity for young journalism enthusiasts to see their work preserved for posterity and to make their engagement with the course more meaningful. Educators can pay heed to this distinctive approach and utilise this method to make teaching and interaction easier for both teachers and students.

#journalism #lsr #tinkatinka #covid #vartikananda #ladyshriramcollege

https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2020/06/post-pandemic-education-blogs-as-an-interactive-medium/